Coupling for overhead irrigation pipes



, ai E S. 2 2 E \\\\M\\\\\\\\ uw n w 6579 @y w ma //arzyqyst Aug, 4, 1936. E. D. GAGE COUPLING FOR. OVERHEAD RRIGATION PIPES' Filed Aug. 6, 1955 mllwlT WW 'face of the coupling.

Patented Aug. 4," 1936 UNITED STATI-:sl

PATENTv OFFICE coUPLING Fon ovnanmn IRRIGATION Piras Ellsworth' n. Gage, oakland, cam. Application August 6, 1935, Serial No. 34,900

scams. (Crass-193) lirrigation pipe may be readily inserted in the coupling and in such insertion engaging a resilient packing ring or packing cup; the amount of insertion'of the pipe in the couplingrebeing stopped by a. collar xedly secured to the pipe, such collar engaging the cupling.

A-further feature of my invention relates to a latch, this latch being automatically raised on insertion of the pipe by means of the coupling and then after the coupling has passed the latch, a spring extends the latch to engage the collar and thus retains the end of the pipe in the coupling.

A further feature of my invention relates to the interior construction of the coupling this having diverging `cone surfaces, the divergence being from the packing cup whereby for a double ended coupling the largest interior diameter of the coupling is at the center. This constructionpermits a pipe to have its axis tilted or inclined at an angle to the axis of the coupling and thus in eliect to make an angular joint between, for instance, one of the pipes in the coupling and the coupling and the other pipe. By having the interior surface coned outwardly in an enlarging diverging surface, a limiting line contact may be formed between one portion of the pipe and a portion of the outwardly diverging interior sur- 'I'his contact with the engagement of the latch and the collar of the pipe effectively locks the pipe from further tilting and from outward movement relative to the couplingfon introduction of water pressure in the coupling `by transmission of water through the coupling or use of portions of the water for overhead irrigation.

/A further detail feature of my invention relates to the packing cup and its mounting in the coupling. The packing cup is made of rubber, having a cylindrical outside surface which engages a cylindrical inside surface of an annular groove in the coupling. 'I'his groove has outwardly tapered sides engaging complementary inside and outside edges of the packing cup or ring. 'I'he ring is provided with an annular split or groove. this groove being at a slight angle toy .the outside peripheral surface of the ring and thus leaving a flexible tongue terminating in a thin ln or feather edge. This fin and feather edge engage the outside surface of the inserted 5` pipe so that when an internal pressure is built up in the coupling, the Water may enter the groove of the washer and expand the iin and feather edge to form a water-tight seal on the exterior of the pipe.

A detail feature of my'invention as it relates to the latch, is that this is in the form of av latch bolt having a stem slidably mounted in a guide .perforation through longitudinally projecting lugs in the coupling. The latch bolt has l5 I a bevelled head, the bevel engaging the collar on inserting a pipe in the coupling. Such action causes a receding movement of the latch bolt compressing a spring in a. recess in the lug, the spring reacting after the collar passes lthe'20v bevel head tov project the head outwardly andthereby engage the outside surface of the collar.

A further detail feature resides in providing the latch bolt with an eye so that bymeans of a hook it may be readily retracted for removal 25 of the pipes from the coupling.

My invention is illustrated in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, in whic Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the assembly of the coupling pipes and may be con- 30 sidered on the section line I--I of Fig. 3 in the direction of. the arrows.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows. 35

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the packing ring or cup.

In my invention I employ a coupling -unit II which is formed preferably of a lightweight casting. This is provided with a shoe or foot I2 ex- 40 tending transversely to support the coupling to prevent overturning. The coupling has a central hollow body structure I3 and a pair of end annular projections i4 in which are formed the annular recesses or grooves l5. The grooves`have a. 45 cylindrical surface i6, an inner tapering surface il and an outer tapered surface I8; this being on the inside of the rim or lip I9. This lip has an inner edge 20 and an outwardly bevelled face 2l. The inner surface i1 of the groove termi- 50v nates in a circular edge 23 and the diameter 24 formed by the edge 23 is greater than the diameter 25 of the edge 20.

The interior of the central body portion has two cone-shaped diverging surfaces 26, diverging from the edge 23 to the center 21; this center being the internal portion of largest diameter between the edges 23. Each of the surfaces 28 thus forms a frustum of a cone, the base being at the center and the top of the frustum being on the line 23.

A packing ring or cup 30 (note Figs. 1 and 4) is preferably formed of rubber and has ra main outer body portion 3| having a cylindrical outside surfa'ce 32, an outside edge 34 and an inside edge 35. 'I'he edge 35 terminates at the circular inner edge 36. The washer has a deep annular groove or slit 31 between the outside cylindrical surface 32 and the inside cylindrical surface 38, thus leaving a tongue or n 39 between the slit and the inside surface 38. 'Ihls tongue terminates in a feather edge 40, this edge being set inwardly from the edge 36.

The cup washer is inserted in the annular` groove I5 and is of such proportions that the outsidecylindrical surface 32 bears against the cylindrical surface I6 of the groove. The edge 34 engages the outwardly sloping surface I8 but is of slightly greater length than this surface. The inside surface 35 of the ring engages the surface I1 of the groove, the edge 36 terminating substantially at the edge 23 of the coupling structure. This arrangement permits the tongue to occupy a readily flexible position with the surface 38 substantially cylindrical before the introduction of the pipes.

The latching assembly 45 employs two lugs 46 which extend longitudinally of the body structure of the coupling unit, these being preferably formed with a vertical rib 41. Horizontal flanges 48 terminate in a circular end 49. This end has a rectangular recess 50, a perforation 5I thereabove, thus forming a shoulder 52. The latch53 consists of a cylindrical latch bolt 54 sliding through the perforation 5I and having a bevelled latch head 55 -on the lower end; an eye 56 is secured to the upper end of the bolt. A compression. spring 51 bears against the shoulder 52 and the head 55. The head is rectangular and is guided in the recess 58 so that it cannot rotate. Thus the bevel surface 58 is always positioned remote from the center portion of the 'coupling unit and the inner face 59 of the head is at right angles to the axis of the coupling unit.

The pipes 65 are slightly less in diameter than the measurement 25 of the opening formed by the edge 20 of the rim or lip I9 so that as the leading end 66 is inserted in the end I9, the bevel surface 2| may act as a guide in centering the pipe end. 'I'he pipe slips freely in the cylindrical inside surface 38 of the cup packing washer, the limit to the insertion being by means of a collarlyziiich is secured to the pipe by fillet welds 68 engaging the rim |9. There is a 'suilicient space between the rim I9 and the face 59 of the bevel heads of the latch to allow a slight adjustment and angular positioning of the pipe in reference to the coupling. When the pipe is being inserted the collar engaging the bevel 58 forces the latch bolt upwardly, thereby compressing the spring 51, which after the collar has passed the latch head, again projects the head to engage on the inside of the collar 61.

When a pipe is inserted it may tilt to a limiting angle indicated in Fig. 1 for the right hand pipe, in which the lower portion of the pipe has a substantially line contact with the lower side of the outwardly coned surface 26. The portion of the pipe spaced slightly from the collar engages the upper part of the bevel 2i of the lip I3,

also at substantially a line contact, the cup washer being slightly compressed at the top adjacent the outside edge 34. At the bottom portion of the ring, the lip 39 and the feather edge 4I are pressed outwardly towards the body of the 6 ring.

When water is passed through the pipes under I pressure, the water iills the groove 31 of the cup ring and expands the tongue or fln 39 outwardly against the pipe; theA feather edge 40 giving a 1I)v tight seal on the' cylindrical exterior of the pipe.

When it is desired to use the coupling for overhead irrigation, I provide a hollow boss 10 on the upper portion of the central part I3 of the coupling, this boss forming the inner terminus l5 for the webs 41 and an irrigation standpipe 1| is threaded into the boss. Such standpipes usually have rotatable nozzles. It will be noted that when the coupling with the two pipes is under water pressure, that the pipes are forced out- S0 wardly until the collars contact with the bevel heads of the latch bolts, which gives sufficient space between the inner ends 66 of the two pipes to afford a cross sectional area for the flow of water to the standpipe. The pipes are also filled I to their full diameter for transmitting water toother couplings or the like for irrigation purposes. Manifestly if the pressure does not force the pipes outwardly, or these are connected to other couplings, the collars may t close to the N lip I9 of the main portion of the coupling and for this purpose the lip has a receding bevel 12 on its outside surface and thus accommodating a tilt of the collar 61 when the pipe is tilted. It will be seen therefore that my invention provides a considerable flexibility as to angular adjustments of the two pipes.

Also by my construction the pipes may be quickly connected to the coupling by merely thrusting the ends of the pipes in the open ends of the coupling, this causing the automatic recision and projection of the latch bolts. Then when it isv desired to remove the pipes from the coupling, the latch bolts may be retracted by engaging a hook in the eye 56 and thus raising the latch suiiiciently to permit the collar 61 passing underneath the latch in pulling the pipe longitudinally out of the coupling.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a coupling unit having a casing provided with a plurality of openings, means for the reception of pipes in the openings in flexible relation to the casing, means in the casing for supporting a portion of the surface of the inner ends of the pipes when in extreme angular position,

and like means for supporting a portion of the so surface of the pipe at the place of entry into the casing.

2. A coupling assembly consisting of a coupling housing having a hollow body portion and having frustro-conically shaped inner surfaces diverging from the edge of the housing to the center thereof, outwardly extending hollow sockets having outwardly divergent inner edge surfaces and pipes adapted to be inserted into the sockets in exlble relation thereto, the surfaces bearing against portions of the surface of the pipe when the pipe is in extreme angular position.

3. A coupling assembly consisting of a coupling housing having a hollow body portion and having 75 fmstro-concally shaped inner surfaces divergcollars and adapted to be inserted into the ing from the edge of the housing to the center sockets in exibl'e relation thereto, the conical thereof, outwardly extending hollow sockets in and edge surfaces bearing against portions of the communication with the housing and having cutsurface of a pipe and the collar bearing against 5 wardly diver-ging inner edge surfaces and inthe lip when a pipe is in extreme angular position. 5

wardly tapering lips and pipes having annular p ELLSWORTH D. GAGE.l 

